Modems are well known and have been in use for some time to transmit digital information over distributed wide area networks. Typical modems transform a two level, i.e. digital, computer signal into a form suitable for transmission over the public switched telephone network. Rather than sending binary information from the computer, circuitry in a sending modem (i.e. MOdulation circuitry) converts the binary information into signals, e.g. pulse tones, suitable for transmission over the telephone network. A typical modem also includes circuitry (i.e. DEModulation circuitry) for receiving transmissions sent to it over the telephone network and converting them back to digital data suitable to pass to a destination computer. Modems known in the art typically do not have any capability to transmit voice information over the telephone network. That is, modems can not be used to talk over the telephone network, and typically a separate connection initiated telephonically is required to inquire in a real-time, audible manner as to the status of a transmission sent via modem.
Remote “modem pools”, comprised of a plurality of modems, are used in wide area systems communications, for communication between remote and local electronic systems, wherein the remote modem(s) and local computer system(s) are typically interconnected over a wide area network (WAN) such as Ethernet. The remote modem pool is typically located a significant distance from the local computer, and the remote modem is used by the local computer to dial up one or more remote computers in a locality that is a local telephone call from the remote modem(s). In this manner, long distance telephone charges are avoided between the local computer and the remote computer(s), as the WAN and remote modem pool are used to transmit information over the long distance between the local system and the remote modem(s).
The modem pool comprises a plurality of modems and an access server that supports the plurality of modems used for dialing into or out of computer facilities local to the remote modem(s). The access server in effect provides routing and translation capabilities between the WAN and one or more of the plurality of modems in the modem pool. Accordingly, a local computer connected to the WAN can access modems in the modem pool via the access server.
In a typical modem pool configuration, a local computer (such as at a service facility) may be available to receive communications, such as status or error information, from one or more remote systems. For example, the remote computer would issue a status information file or packet out onto the Ethernet directed to the local computer. The status information packet from the remote system is communicated, typically in a local telephone call via a resident modem in the remote system(s), to a remote modem in the modem pool. The remote modem provides the status information packet to the access server which effects translation of the information into packet(s) formed in accordance with the WAN protocol (e.g. Ethernet) for transmission over the WAN, as known in the art. Upon receipt of the information from the remote computer, an operator at the local computer may need to effect return communication with the remote computer, such as by sending out a return file. With the local computer located significant distances from the modem(s) in the modem pool, it is not possible to monitor or listen to the transmission to or from the remote modem pool. The operator typically relies on text messages received at the local system that indicate the status of the communications. In some cases, the local machine may be returning a communication that will be received at the remote site through an automated attendant that requires specific instructions that must be followed. The local user will not be able to listen to communications from such automated attendants, even though the remotely located modems have facilities (i.e. speakers) for listening to the transmissions. Additionally, the operator at the local machine may wish to have verbal/audio communication with the remote site, for example to speak with an operator at the remote site. Such audio communication is generally carried out over a telephone, at long distance rates or charges applicable for phone communication between the remote and local sites.
Disadvantageously, in known remote modem pools using known access servers, there is no mechanism for listening at a local site, to a transmission over the WAN of communication between the local machine and the remote modem. That is, modems in a modem pool do not have capabilities for transmitting an audible transmission signal back over the WAN to be listened to at the local site. Similarly, modems in known remote modem pools do not provide facilities for effecting an audio transmission over the WAN in order to avoid having to incur the additional charges associated with a long distance telephone connection in addition to the modem-to-network communication between the local and remote sites.